Multimedia

More from NBC

The outgoing majority

The New York Times profiles new Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had been planning on being the new majority leader. "[But] he is instead the incoming leader of the new Senate minority, albeit one who, with 49 votes in his pocket, will have the ability to block Democratic initiatives more or less at will. 'There will be nothing here they can do without some degree of cooperation from a very robust 49-vote minority,' he said in an interview this week."

The AP: "While they still can, House Republicans are looking at scheduling a vote next week on a fetal pain abortion bill in a parting shot at incoming majority Democrats and a last bid for loyalty from the GOP's base of social conservatives."